A resilient 16-year-old Scottish girl with fiery red hair, who demonstrates survival skills and serves as a key support for those around her.

An Aborigine girl taken from her tribe, representing the tension between her heritage and the invading British cultural expectations.

A vivacious convict and former sex worker who befriends Evangeline at Newgate Prison and provides practical assistance.

A child for most of the story, she later grows to confront her heritage, symbolizing a new generation of women with a voice.

The ship surgeon who faces moral and practical challenges on board the Medea, contributing pivotally to various characters' journeys.

An older midwife who mentors Hazel, imparting crucial herbal knowledge that aids throughout the narrative.

A young man who entangles Evangeline in his upper-class world, setting off major events in her life.

Representatives of British colonial power, they attempt to impose their culture on the native lands and people they aim to 'civilize'.